Trumbull's Montanez bolsters Buffalo defense

News-Times, The (Danbury, CT), Neill Ostrout Staff writer

Published 1:00 am, Saturday, December 20, 2008

To call a man who weighs approximately 290 pounds undersized is a bit misleading. But at "only" 5-foot-11, Anel Montanez is considerably smaller than many of the offensive lineman he battles for the University at Buffalo football team.

But the sophomore defensive tackle has learned a few moves to combat his opponents' size and stature, many of which came from practice on the wrestling mats at Trumbull High and across Connecticut.

"It helps a lot. It gives you an advantage, more of an edge as far as kids that haven't wrestled," the former
Connecticut Post
all-star said this week. "It takes more balance and using your body and your weight distribution."

Montanez and the Bulls (8-5) have been throwing their weight around quite well this season. Buffalo will face UConn (7-5) Jan. 3 in the International Bowl, with Connecticut products like Montanez, offensive tackle
Ray Norell
and defensive end
Andrae Smith
playing key roles.

Buffalo head coach
Turner Gill
, who at one point considered playing Montanez on the offensive line, says the former all-FCIAC wrestler is best suited to play defense.

"His wrestling technique has come into play," Gill says of Montanez, who was a two-time all-conference selection in football. "He understands leverage so he does a great job with centers and guards."

Montanez played in seven games during his freshman season of 2006 -- and made a start against
Boston College
-- but redshirted in 2007 after being moved to offense.

"Me and coach Gill were trying to figure out what was best for me," Montanez said. "We had a couple meetings. We just talked about what would be the best for the team and me."

It has seemingly worked out well for both parties as Montanez made 25 tackles and was third on his team with six tackles for losses this season.

"It has. I'm very pleased with the way things turned out," Montanez said.

Said Gill: "Anel Montanez has been a true catalyst. He's really matured as a person and matured as a football player."

After being recruited by mostly Division I-AA schools out of Trumbull, Montanez was wooed by Gill and Buffalo assistant coach
Aaron Stamn
to Western New York soon after the new coaching staff took over.

It's likely a number of Football Bowl Subdivision (Division I-A) teams are regretting not taking a chance on an undersized defensive lineman.

"I feel like I've always had to prove something," Montanez said. "I'm not the biggest guy on paper."

One of the teams that obviously passed on Montanez was UConn. It's perhaps fitting that the Huskies will be on the opposite sideline of the
Rogers Centre
in two weeks.

"I was kind of hoping it came down to that," Montanez said. "It's exciting."

He hardly is carrying a major grudge, but Montanez would love to beat his home state's flagship university as the burgeoning Buffalo program makes its bowl debut.

"This is exactly why I came here," Montanez said. "When I was getting recruited, all coach Gill talked about was that the program was on the way up. The reason I came here was to start some tradition and, basically, just to win."

Montanez is somewhat familiar with the Huskies, having played with the likes of UConn guard
Zach Hurd
and linebacker
Scott Lutrus
of Brookfield (then a running back) in the 2006 Governor's Cup game against Rhode Island.

He knows that Hurd and the Husky offensive line pose significant challenges for the Bulls.

What also should provide Montanez with a good test are the family members who will be traveling to Toronto to watch him play. Many of them spent part or all of the regular season rooting for the Huskies.

"Everyone watches UConn," Montanez said. "My uncles and everyone, they watch UConn a lot and go to UConn games. It's exciting but they don't know who to root for. They're kind of rooting for me and kind of rooting for them."

Montanez's plan is to help send UConn fans back to Connecticut disappointed in the outcome.